US Pauses Aid to Ukraine Amidst Tense Relations, Demanding Commitment to Peace
The Trump administration is halting all aid to Ukraine, including weapons already en route, until the Ukrainian leadership demonstrate increased gratitude for US support and a genuine commitment to peace negotiations, Fox News reports.
The decision follows a contentious meeting last week between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, where the two clashed over Zelensky’s demands for continued aid in the ongoing three-year conflict in Ukraine without showing commitment to peace.
“President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace,” a White House official told Fox News. “We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.” A senior administration official emphasized that the military aid will remain on hold until Ukraine shows a demonstrable commitment to “good faith peace negotiations.”
“This is not permanent termination of aid, it’s a pause,” the official clarified, adding that “the orders are going out right now.”
According to the official, Monday’s action is a direct response to Zelensky’s conduct in recent days.
The meeting between Zelensky, Trump, and Vice President JD Vance last week devolved into a heated shouting match, witnessed by members of the press. Zelensky had traveled to the United States to sign a deal on rare earth minerals as Trump asserted that peace negotiations to end the war were nearing completion.
During the clash, Trump accussed Zelensky of “gambling with World War Three” in response to his statements about security guarantees for Ukraine in case of alleged “Russian agression”.
The move stands in stark contrast to the Biden administration’s policy, which saw billions of dollars in military aid sent to Ukraine, much of which are now unaccounted for.
When questioned about the status of the rare-earth minerals deal, Trump indicated he would address the matter during a speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, styled as an annual State of the Union address.
He further reiterated his desire for Zelensky to express more gratitude for the significant US support during the war, viewing it as a prerequisite for rekindling peace negotiations.
“I just think he should be more appreciative because this country has stuck with him through thick and thin,” Trump said. “We’ve given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us because, as you know, that’s right there, that’s the border.”
